Operation of measuring devices in a process plant

Abstract

A system and method for operating measuring devices in a process plant includes providing at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measuring variable, the measuring device having comprises at least one memory means for storing actual configuration data; providing at least one controller unit having at least one additional memory means in which projected configuration data is stored; the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device with respect to the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; comparing the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data, and when the configuration data correspond, allowing a data communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating measuring devices in a process plant, comprising:
 providing at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measuring variable, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one memory means in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device is stored; 
 providing at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory means in which projected configuration data for the operation of the measuring device is stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device with respect to the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; 
 comparing the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, a data communication with respect to the measuring variable is allowed, and if the configuration data do not correspond, a data communication with respect to the measuring variable is not allowed, wherein the at least one controller unit transmits the projected configuration data to the at least one measuring device and the comparing of the configuration data takes place in the at least one measuring device, wherein the at least one measuring device transmits the actual configuration data to the at least one controller unit and the comparing of the configuration data takes place in the at least one controller unit, and wherein a comparison result of the comparing of the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data is transmitted to the at least one measuring device; 
 providing at least one configuration unit that is connected to at least the at least one measuring device via at least one network; 
 transmitting the comparison result to the at least one configuration unit; and 
 loading, by the at least one configuration unit, modified configuration data into the at least one measuring device based on the comparison result, or if the configuration data does not correspond, loading, by the at least one configuration unit, the modified configuration data into the at least one measuring device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the comparison result is stored in the memory means of the measuring device. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the configuration data does not correspond, an error message is provided by the controller unit and/or by the measuring device. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the configuration unit is provided in the measuring device. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the comparison result is published and/or accessible across the at least one network. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one network is based on a PROFINET protocol, an Ethernet IP protocol and/or an OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) protocol. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller unit has write access to the measuring device with respect to the data communication parameters in the at least one network. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one measuring device is further configured to:
 generate a diagnostic message including a reason for negative feedback; and 
 transmit the diagnostic message to an operating and monitoring unit for display, the operating and monitoring unit connected to the at least one measuring device and/or the at least one controller unit. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one measuring device sets an associated state machine based on the comparing of the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data. 
     
     
       10. A system for operating measuring devices in a process plant, comprising:
 at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measuring variable, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one memory means in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device is stored; 
 at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory means in which projected configuration data of the measuring device is stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device with respect to the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; 
 at least one comparison unit for comparing the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, a data communication with respect to the measuring variable is allowed, and if the configuration data do not correspond, a data communication with respect to the measuring variable is not allowed, wherein the at least one controller unit transmits the projected configuration data to the at least one measuring device and the comparing of the configuration data takes place in the at least one measuring device, wherein the at least one measuring device transmits the actual configuration data to the at least one controller unit and the comparing of the configuration data takes place in the at least one controller unit, and wherein a comparison result of the comparing of the actual configuration data and the projected configuration data is transmitted to the at least one measuring device; and 
 at least one configuration unit that is connected to the at least one measuring device via at least one network for transmitting the comparison result to the at least one configuration unit, and loading, by the at least one configuration unit, modified configuration data into the at least one measuring device based on the comparison result, or if the configuration data does not correspond, loading, by the at least one configuration unit, the modified configuration data into the at least one measuring device.